LHT Summary
DAY 1: ASCENT, PT. 1--6 mi.
It was a good start. Scott's mom drove us to Ohiopyle and we started walking. Not much to report. Four miles were uphill, 2 down. Feel the burn!
DAY 2: ASCENT, PT. 2--12 mi.
Our plan is to wake up around 6 and be on the trail by 7:30. That's our plan.... At 5 we hear the water pump banging loudly and people shouting back and forth.
"ARE YOU (bang) GETTING ANY (bang) WATER YET?"
"I'M (bang) GETTING IT NOW."
"OH, OK. I'M GOING TO (bang) START PACKING."
"YEAH, (bang) THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA."
And so on. So we got up a little before 6, had breakfast which consisted of a Quaker Oat Square, an instant breakfast, and some dried fruit. I'm glad that Scott likes to have second breakfast...or "Elevensies" as we called it sometimes...so we had an extra square for our pocket and two pieces of candy. Trail time. The ascent wasn't quite as steep as the day before, but it was steady. the elevation shifts from about 13,000ft. to 26,000ft in 2 1/2 miles. In other words, a pretty straight shot. Well, 2/3 of the way up (and about 4 1/2 hours from 5:00) we passed the loud people. Needless to say they were carrying waaaay too much. We arrive in the early afternoon, about four hours before the ones we passed. Our shelters are spitting distance apart and facing each other. We move up the hill to a different shelter.
DAY 3: DETOURS--14 mi.
(bang) "ARE YOU GETTING (bang) ANY WATER YET?"
"I'M (bang) GETTING IT NOW."
"HEY GUYS, I (bang) CAN'T STOP THROW(bang)ING UP."
About an hour or so later, I'm all packed up waiting for Scott to get back when this guy walks up to me and starts talking to me. I realize he's one of the loud obnoxious ones...the one that was apparently throwing up. "I need to get out of here, man. This ain't my thing man. I've hiked before, but I've been drinking polar water for 10 years now. This rust is hurting my throat, man. I need to leave."
"Well," says I, "I like to think the rust is put in the water to cut our throat so the water enters the bloodstream faster...you know, like a gold schlager, as well as being a good source of iron." He leaves. Passing his friends and arriving four hours before them becomes a daily thing now. We figure they can't be going faster than 1 mile an hour....that's super slow.
I've always wondered what Seven Springs Resort looked like (a downhill skiing resort). I could never afford to go there...but luckily the trail cuts right across some of the slopes, so I got to see it. Some very nice views. However there was a lame detour that was very poorly marked. After wondering around chasing blue arrows and squares we find the trail again and get to camp by 3:00. The shelters once again face each other. The loud people won't move...so we move again.
DAY 4: ACHES AND PAINS, PT. 1--14 mi.
This is our earliest day. We hit the trail by 7:05. Lots of ups and downs and luckily, my right knee decides to give out on me. So I hobble the 14 miles and start wondering if I can really finish this or not. Toward the end of the day we see four army helicopters fly overhead. Strange.
DAY 5: UNEXPECTED VISITORS--11 mi.
Another early day. There aren't as many fresh mountain springs to drink from but the fern blankets are beautiful. So far every day has been virtually cloudless with a high of about 70. In other words, perfect. My legs hold up a little better but my left achilles decides to become inflamed. Not kosher. I'm starting to think, since my dad is meeting us in the morning, maybe I could just drive home early to avoid injuring myself since I have to drive to Carlisle the next day. Then I have a vision. I'm sitting in the townhouse, asking the guys what they think. B, who's playing games just shrugs his shoulders. Greg's laughing at Nate who is making comments about that's why I should become a puddle-pirate. Chris looks at me and says "Hey, whatever you think. If I were you I'd finish it, but if you think you'd injure yourself then don't." Giesey looks at me and says, "Joe, you've come this far, seriously. If you quit now then you have to start ALL OVER AGAIN. Just do it, T, just do it!" Sam--"Joe--don't be a cumdumpster." And though Tretter wasn't in the townhouse, he chimes in with, "Can't you just ignore the pain for a little? I mean, don't you think you'll feel better if you just finish it?" And I realize they're all right. So I go to bed that night and wake up the next morning (feeling alright, but slightly gimpy) and say...
DAY 6: ACHES AND PAINS, PT.2, THE END--13+ mi.
"Johnstown?"
"JOHNSTOWN"
We descend, my dad meets up with us at the shelter by 7:30. I'm limping terribly by the end but I finish. 70 miles in 5 and a half days. Not too shabby. We saw about 5 deer, Scott saw a gray fox, I saw a ruffed grouse, a groundhog at the last shelter area that I named Big Al (cause he was fat)...but unfortunately no bears.
It was a good start. Scott's mom drove us to Ohiopyle and we started walking. Not much to report. Four miles were uphill, 2 down. Feel the burn!
DAY 2: ASCENT, PT. 2--12 mi.
Our plan is to wake up around 6 and be on the trail by 7:30. That's our plan.... At 5 we hear the water pump banging loudly and people shouting back and forth.
"ARE YOU (bang) GETTING ANY (bang) WATER YET?"
"I'M (bang) GETTING IT NOW."
"OH, OK. I'M GOING TO (bang) START PACKING."
"YEAH, (bang) THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA."
And so on. So we got up a little before 6, had breakfast which consisted of a Quaker Oat Square, an instant breakfast, and some dried fruit. I'm glad that Scott likes to have second breakfast...or "Elevensies" as we called it sometimes...so we had an extra square for our pocket and two pieces of candy. Trail time. The ascent wasn't quite as steep as the day before, but it was steady. the elevation shifts from about 13,000ft. to 26,000ft in 2 1/2 miles. In other words, a pretty straight shot. Well, 2/3 of the way up (and about 4 1/2 hours from 5:00) we passed the loud people. Needless to say they were carrying waaaay too much. We arrive in the early afternoon, about four hours before the ones we passed. Our shelters are spitting distance apart and facing each other. We move up the hill to a different shelter.
DAY 3: DETOURS--14 mi.
(bang) "ARE YOU GETTING (bang) ANY WATER YET?"
"I'M (bang) GETTING IT NOW."
"HEY GUYS, I (bang) CAN'T STOP THROW(bang)ING UP."
About an hour or so later, I'm all packed up waiting for Scott to get back when this guy walks up to me and starts talking to me. I realize he's one of the loud obnoxious ones...the one that was apparently throwing up. "I need to get out of here, man. This ain't my thing man. I've hiked before, but I've been drinking polar water for 10 years now. This rust is hurting my throat, man. I need to leave."
"Well," says I, "I like to think the rust is put in the water to cut our throat so the water enters the bloodstream faster...you know, like a gold schlager, as well as being a good source of iron." He leaves. Passing his friends and arriving four hours before them becomes a daily thing now. We figure they can't be going faster than 1 mile an hour....that's super slow.
I've always wondered what Seven Springs Resort looked like (a downhill skiing resort). I could never afford to go there...but luckily the trail cuts right across some of the slopes, so I got to see it. Some very nice views. However there was a lame detour that was very poorly marked. After wondering around chasing blue arrows and squares we find the trail again and get to camp by 3:00. The shelters once again face each other. The loud people won't move...so we move again.
DAY 4: ACHES AND PAINS, PT. 1--14 mi.
This is our earliest day. We hit the trail by 7:05. Lots of ups and downs and luckily, my right knee decides to give out on me. So I hobble the 14 miles and start wondering if I can really finish this or not. Toward the end of the day we see four army helicopters fly overhead. Strange.
DAY 5: UNEXPECTED VISITORS--11 mi.
Another early day. There aren't as many fresh mountain springs to drink from but the fern blankets are beautiful. So far every day has been virtually cloudless with a high of about 70. In other words, perfect. My legs hold up a little better but my left achilles decides to become inflamed. Not kosher. I'm starting to think, since my dad is meeting us in the morning, maybe I could just drive home early to avoid injuring myself since I have to drive to Carlisle the next day. Then I have a vision. I'm sitting in the townhouse, asking the guys what they think. B, who's playing games just shrugs his shoulders. Greg's laughing at Nate who is making comments about that's why I should become a puddle-pirate. Chris looks at me and says "Hey, whatever you think. If I were you I'd finish it, but if you think you'd injure yourself then don't." Giesey looks at me and says, "Joe, you've come this far, seriously. If you quit now then you have to start ALL OVER AGAIN. Just do it, T, just do it!" Sam--"Joe--don't be a cumdumpster." And though Tretter wasn't in the townhouse, he chimes in with, "Can't you just ignore the pain for a little? I mean, don't you think you'll feel better if you just finish it?" And I realize they're all right. So I go to bed that night and wake up the next morning (feeling alright, but slightly gimpy) and say...
DAY 6: ACHES AND PAINS, PT.2, THE END--13+ mi.
"Johnstown?"
"JOHNSTOWN"
We descend, my dad meets up with us at the shelter by 7:30. I'm limping terribly by the end but I finish. 70 miles in 5 and a half days. Not too shabby. We saw about 5 deer, Scott saw a gray fox, I saw a ruffed grouse, a groundhog at the last shelter area that I named Big Al (cause he was fat)...but unfortunately no bears.